THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS: EPISODE 2

Aryan slammed the door shut, his breath ragged.

His mind raced ..was this some kind of prank? But the message, the missing nameplate, the unsettling silence outside…it all felt too deliberate.

He grabbed his phone and dialed his best friend. The call rang once, twice and then disconnected. Strange. He tried again. This time, a robotic voice answered:

“The number you are trying to reach does not exist.”

Aryan’s fingers went cold.

That was impossible. He had just spoken to her this morning. He opened his contacts list, scrolling frantically…her number was gone. So was every other contact. His phone was empty.

A shiver crawled down his spine.

He needed proof that he was real, that he hadn’t just… vanished.

He ran to his bookshelf and grabbed his university certificate. His hands trembled as he read:

This certifies that______ has completed a degree in Philosophy.

His name was missing.

His chest tightened. His ID, his bank card everywhere his name should have been, there was only a blank space.

And then, the TV in his apartment flickered on by itself. The static buzzed loudly before clearing. A news anchor stared at him through the screen, expression unreadable.

“Good evening. Tonight’s top story ..an unidentified man has been reported missing.

No records, no identity. If you have any information about him…

oh, wait...

The anchor paused, tilting her head. Then, as if she could see him through the screen, she smirked.

“Never mind. He was never here to begin with.”

The screen went black.

Aryan stumbled back, heart pounding. His phone buzzed once more. Another message.

“Do you believe me now?”

- To be continued.